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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24939010">I'll Be Here</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainy_day_person/pseuds/Rainy_day_person'>Rainy_day_person</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Road to El Dorado (2000)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anxiety, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Short One Shot, Very Very Light Angst, can it even be called angst?, lots of fluff, slight angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:27:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>615</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24939010</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainy_day_person/pseuds/Rainy_day_person</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tulio wonders if they can make a living without scamming.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Miguel &amp; Tulio (Road to El Dorado), Miguel/Tulio (Road to El Dorado)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'll Be Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It ain't much, but it's honest work.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tulio had always been poor.</p>
<p>Well, ‘poor’ wasn’t quite the right word for his predicament. Sure, he had money, but only ever enough to buy the necessities. If he saved up for a while, maybe he could get a new shirt. The money that he did make was always made with Miguel through some scam. Throughout the years, he had gotten quite good at it, much to his dismay. </p>
<p>He hated the scams and all the anxiety that came with it. Living with the knowledge that at any moment, they could be thrown in prison for their crimes-- or worse-- had certainly taken its toll on the man. Tulio would panic over every little thing, rambling about hiding and getting themselves to safety, even when they already were. He hated being a con man, but if it got food on the table… </p>
<p>He wasn’t proud of it. Not one bit. </p>
<p>“Ugh,” he groaned, getting the attention of his partner.</p>
<p>“Tulio?” Miguel asked gently. “Are you alright?”</p>
<p>“No-- I mean-- yes? I don’t know!” Grumbled Tulio, racing his restless hands through his long hair.</p>
<p>Miguel, having dealt with a flustered Tulio many times before, calmly placed his hand on his shoulder and smiled, giving the other an anchor on the world. “Do you want to talk about it? You can say no.”</p>
<p>The tall man inhaled deeply while putting his hand over his partner’s. “Why do we have to con people?” He wondered out loud. “Isn’t there other ways to make money?”</p>
<p>The blond hadn’t been expecting this question. He never really thought about it himself, nor did he question his way of life. Wake up, go outside, con, buy food, go home-- the daily routine. It was just the way things worked. Now that Tulio mentioned it, he was asking himself the same question.</p>
<p>“I uh- I don’t know.” he admitted. “I guess it’s just always been like that for people like us.”</p>
<p>“Well in that case I hate it!”</p>
<p>“Maybe we could find work?” Miguel said, trying to lighten the mood.</p>
<p>“Miguel, we are known criminals. We wouldn’t be able to get a job if we tried,” deadpanned Tulio.</p>
<p>“Oh... right.”</p>
<p>The two sat in a comfortable silence for a while. One was calming down, the other was calming them. At some point, they’d climbed onto each other. Miguel kept Tulio firmly protected in his arms, and Tulio didn’t mind one bit. Out of the blue, he smiled suddenly. The tall man pulled away just enough that it could still be considered a touch, but enough that he could see the other’s face clearly. Miguel cocked an eyebrow playfully to match his expression.</p>
<p>“I figured it out,” he stated, “they should pay people for being cute.”</p>
<p>Miguel smirked at Tulio. “In that case, you’d be pretty rich.”</p>
<p>Tulio’s eyebrows rocketed up in shock, his eyes as wide as saucers. After a second or two, his pale face turned bright red as he felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He grinned like an idiot. A very adorably bewildered, lovestruck idiot. </p>
<p>“I- uhm... “</p>
<p>Miguel only chuckled at the heartwarming sight. Swiftly, he leaned in and pecked his boyfriend’s cheek, only causing him to blush more. </p>
<p>“Tulio, I know that you’re worried about our situation, but I’ll be here.” He whispered soothingly, swinging an arm around Tulio’s shoulders. “I’ll be here every minute of every day that you have doubts. You can always-- and I mean always-- talk to me, and I’ll do my best to comfort you.”</p>
<p>The tall man smiled fondly and leaned into Miguel once more. “I know Miguel.” He squeezed his partner closer to him. “And thank you. Thank you for everything.”</p>
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